Rams Hire Al Roberts to Coach ST

Roberts At A GlanceSt. Louis Rams head coach Scott Linehan announced today the hiring of 16-season NFL coaching veteran Al Roberts as special teams coach.“This obviously is an area in which we need improvement and I am certain that Al Roberts is the right man for the job,” said Linehan, who coached with Roberts at the University of Washington in 1996.“Al and I worked together one season in college and our special teams made a dramatic improvement,” said Linehan. “Our relationship and his experience at the NFL level are the key reasons why he’s now a St. Louis Ram.”“I did not want to go to just any team,” said Roberts. “I’m in St. Louis because of Scott Linehan. We had a wonderful relationship at the University of Washington and I knew then Scott was going to be a head coach, because of his knowledge of the game and his ability to work with people. This is the right time and the right place for me.”Linehan coached the Huskies’ receivers in 1996 and Roberts was running backs and special teams coach.Roberts has coached on the high school level in the Seattle area since his last NFL position with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2002. Roberts’ Bengals units were known for aggressiveness and for being strong in the areas of kickoff and punt returns. The Bengals’ Tremain Mack was the NFL’s leading kickoff returner with a 27.1 average in 1999 and the Bengals were third in the league in punt returns with an 11.7 average that season. They had similar success against opponent returns.A native of Fresno, California, Roberts played high school football in Merced, California, and collegiately at the University of Washington and the University of Puget Sound. Roberts began his coaching career at Seattle’s Mercer Island in 1969 and, seven seasons on the high school level, he joined the staff of Don James at the University of Washington in 1977.The Huskies posted a 56-15 record from 1977-82, were 3-0 in the Rose Bowl, and 4-1 in bowl games.Roberts’ first professional football experience came with the Los Angeles Express of the U.S. Football League in 1983-84. He entered the NFL with the Houston Oilers in 1985. After a season at Purdue University in 1986 Roberts returned to the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and also coached with the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals.

Re: Rams Hire Al Roberts to Coach ST

Linehan hires special teams coach, one other aide
By Jim Thomas
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
01/29/2007

Barring an unforeseen development, Scott Linehan has filled out his 2007 Rams coaching staff by hiring Al Roberts as special teams coach and Mike Cox as defensive quality control coach.
Linehan has a history with both hires. He worked on the same University of Washington staff with Roberts in 1996.

"I learned more about special teams in my one year with Al than in any of the other years I’ve been in coaching," Linehan said Monday.

Linehan was a college teammate of Cox’s at Idaho, and also coached with him on college staffs at Idaho and Louisville. "He’s an experienced defensive coach," Linehan said.

Roberts, 63, last coached in the NFL in 2002 with the Cincinnati Bengals. He has been coaching an inner-city high school team, Garfield High, in Seattle since then.

Cox has been linebackers coach at Michigan State the past four years. This will be his first NFL job.

Roberts replaces Bob Ligashesky, whose contract was not renewed in St. Louis. Ligashesky subsequently was hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Cox replaces Joe Baker, who left to become linebackers coach in Denver.

Roberts was with the Bengals from 1997-2002, but when Marvin Lewis took over as Bengals coach in ’03, he brought in his own special teams coach.

Roberts also worked in the NFL with the Cardinals (1994-95), the Jets (1991-93), the Eagles (1988-90), and the Houston Oilers (1984-85).

Linehan unsuccessfully tried to lure Roberts back into the NFL a year ago.

Barring an unforeseen development, Scott Linehan has filled out his 2007 Rams
coaching staff by hiring Al Roberts as special teams coach and Mike Cox as
defensive quality control coach.
Linehan has a history with both hires. He worked on the same University of
Washington staff with Roberts in 1996.
"I learned more about special teams in my one year with Al than in any of the
other years I’ve been in coaching," Linehan said Monday.
Linehan was a college teammate of Cox’s at Idaho, and also coached with him on
college staffs at Idaho and Louisville. "He’s an experienced defensive coach,"
Linehan said.
Roberts, 63, last coached in the NFL in 2002 with the Cincinnati Bengals. He
has been coaching an inner-city high school team, Garfield High, in Seattle
since then.
Cox has been linebackers coach at Michigan State the past four years. This will
be his first NFL job.
Roberts replaces Bob Ligashesky, whose contract was not renewed in St. Louis.
Ligashesky subsequently was hired by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Cox replaces Joe Baker, who left to become linebackers coach in Denver.
Roberts was with the Bengals from 1997-2002, but when Marvin Lewis took over as
Bengals coach in ’03, he brought in his own special teams coach.
Roberts also worked in the NFL with the Cardinals (1994-95), the Jets
(1991-93), the Eagles (1988-90), and the Houston Oilers (1984-85).
Linehan unsuccessfully tried to lure Roberts back into the NFL a year ago.

St. Louis Rams head coach Scott Linehan announced today the hiring of 16-season NFL coaching veteran Al Roberts as special teams coach.

“This obviously is an area in which we need improvement and I am certain that Al Roberts is the right man for the job,” said Linehan, who coached with Roberts at the University of Washington in 1996.

“Al and I worked together one season in college and our special teams made a dramatic improvement,” said Linehan. “Our relationship and his experience at the NFL level are the key reasons why he’s now a St. Louis Ram.”

“I did not want to go to just any team,” said Roberts. “I’m in St. Louis because of Scott Linehan. We had a wonderful relationship at the University of Washington and I knew then Scott was going to be a head coach, because of his knowledge of the game and his ability to work with people. This is the right time and the right place for me.”

Linehan coached the Huskies’ receivers in 1996 and Roberts was running backs and special teams coach.

Roberts has coached on the high school level in the Seattle area since his last NFL position with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2002.

Roberts’ Bengals units were known for aggressiveness and for being strong in the areas of kickoff and punt returns. The Bengals’ Tremain Mack was the NFL’s leading kickoff returner with a 27.1 average in 1999 and the Bengals were third in the league in punt returns with an 11.7 average that season. They had similar success against opponent returns.

A native of Fresno, California, Roberts played high school football in Merced, California, and collegiately at the University of Washington and the University of Puget Sound. Roberts began his coaching career at Seattle’s Mercer Island in 1969 and, seven seasons on the high school level, he joined the staff of Don James at the University of Washington in 1977.

The Huskies posted a 56-15 record from 1977-82, were 3-0 in the Rose Bowl, and 4-1 in bowl games.

Roberts’ first professional football experience came with the Los Angeles Express of the U.S. Football League in 1983-84. He entered the NFL with the Houston Oilers in 1985. After a season at Purdue University in 1986 Roberts returned to the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and also coached with the New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals.

Re: Rams Hire Al Roberts to Coach ST

I'm really curious about how someone winds up leaving the NFL and going back down to the high school level. I was kind of hoping that it was a decision because he was tired of the stress after a long career or something, but that doesn't seem to be the case...

"Following their 2-14 season, the Bengals fired head coach Dick LeBeau. They also fired special teams coach Al Roberts, who had kept his job even though the Bengals' kicking teams were among the league's worst for several years."

Re: Rams Hire Al Roberts to Coach ST

Originally Posted by Goldenfleece

I'm really curious about how someone winds up leaving the NFL and going back down to the high school level. I was kind of hoping that it was a decision because he was tired of the stress after a long career or something, but that doesn't seem to be the case...

"Following their 2-14 season, the Bengals fired head coach Dick LeBeau. They also fired special teams coach Al Roberts, who had kept his job even though the Bengals' kicking teams were among the league's worst for several years."

I can't say that I'm overly thrilled with this move.

Yeah, it gets to the point where you must stop hiring friends and start hiring people who will be good. The only good (hopefully good) future we may have with special teams is the fact that yeah they're friends, and hopefully Linehan knows he is that good and will be able to fix it...I kinda have my doubts...